Hemorrhoid Artery Embolization

Hemorrhoids affect about half of men and women over the age of 50. In many cases, hermorrhoids can be effectively treated with dietary and behavior changes.

When hemorrhoids cause bleeding—or lead to pain or other complications—you may need to see a doctor who specializes in conditions that affect your digestive system (a gastroenterologist). Effective treatments for hemmorhoids include creams, a minor procedure called rubber band ligation, or laser treatment.

When other treatments do not work, hemorrhoid artery embolization is a painless and minimally invasive alternative to surgery. A consultation with an interventional radiologist can determine if hemorrhoid artery embolization is right for you.

Hemorrhoid Treatment at Columbia Interventional Radiology

Hemorrhoid artery embolization is a minimally invasive, safe, and highly effective treatment that shrinks the hemorrhoidal tissue by blocking its blood supply. The procedure is performed by an interventional radiologist, who uses tiny tools and imaging to perform procedures that would otherwise require open surgery. Most of the time, this means our patients go home on the day of their procedure with a Band-aid instead of an incision.

During the procedure an interventional radiologist uses live X-rays to navigate a catheter (a thin, hollow tube) to the small arteries that supply the hemorrhoidal tissue with blood. Tiny metallic coils and round beads—each measuring the size of a grain of sand—are injected into the catheter and into the arteries. The coils and beads block the blood flow to the hemorrhoidal tissue, causing it to shrink.

The embolization procedure is performed in an outpatient office in less than one hour, and you will be able to return to normal activities within a few days. Unlike most surgical treatments for hemorrhoids, embolization is painless and has a low risk of complications.

Am I a candidate for hemorrhoid artery embolization?

You may be a candidate if:

• your hemorrhoids are causing bleeding.
• you have tried non-invasive treatments that have not worked.
• you want to avoid surgery to treat your hemorrhoids.

Studies have shown that more than 90 percent of patients experience improvement after hemorrhoid artery embolization, with many patients showing long lasting results.

What will happen during the procedure?  

• You should not eat or drink anything after midnight on the evening before your procedure. Your doctor will tell you which medications you may take in the morning.  
• On the day of your procedure, be sure to bring someone with you who can escort you home.  
• When you arrive at our outpatient office, a nurse will escort you to the interventional radiology suite and prepare you for the procedure.  
• We will administer moderate sedation through an intravenous (IV) line. 
• We will administer a local anesthetic to numb your groin area. 
• We will insert a needle into the numbed area. This needle provides access for a catheter, which we guide to the small arteries that supply blood to hemorrhoidal tissue. We use live X-ray imaging—called fluoroscopy—to guide the catheter into position. 
• Once the catheter is in place, we will inject a contrast dye, which enables us to see the blood vessels in the area.  
• We will then slowly inject an embolic (blocking) agent—synthetic particles the size of grains of sand—through the catheter and into one of the blood vessels feeding the hemorrhoidal tissue. The embolic agent becomes wedged in the blood vessel, blocking the blood flow.   
• When the blood flow is blocked from one blood vessel, we frequently, move the catheter to another vessel that supplies portions of the hemorrhoids, and repeat the process. 
• The procedure takes between one and two hours. You will then recover in your own private room for up to two hours before going home. 

Are there any risks? 

The procedure is safe when performed by an experienced interventional radiologist. Please discuss all risks and benefits with your interventional radiologist during your consultation. 

After the procedure 

We will watch you for up to two hours in our recovery room before you are discharged home with an escort. Most people feel only minor discomfort in the groin area, where we insert the needle, and we will send prescriptions to your pharmacy for pain medications just in case you need them. You will be asked to avoid heavy lifting and exercise for several days. You can return to work the next day if it does not require strenous activity.

Follow-up

You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment with your interventional radiologist about two weeks after the procedure.